Investigation Underway on FIA Karting European Championship OK Winner Artem Severiukhin

April 11, 2022 by David Cole

Artem Severiukhin (Photo: FIAkarting.com)

This morning, video of the podium ceremonies following the FIA Karting European Championship event in Portimao, Portugal was hitting the news cycles around the world. The focus are the ‘actions’ during the anthem by OK winner Arten Sereriukhin following Sunday’s Final at the Kartodromo Internacional do Algarve.

The Russian driver, competing with an Italian license under the FIA, made a gesture during the ceremony, which can be seen in the video below from NEXTA. The full broadcast of the Sunday activities of the event have been hidden from the FIA Youtube page and Facebook page, including photos and interviews with Sereriukhin.

#Russian driver Artyom Severyukhin, competing under the Italian flag at the #European Junior Karting Championship, showed a #Nazi salute at the awards ceremony.

He competing under the #Italian flag because of the sanctions imposed on #Russia. pic.twitter.com/q4wOGHPsvR

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 11, 2022

FIA published a statement regarding the situation:

“The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile confirms that it has launched an immediate investigation into the unacceptable conduct of Mr Artem Severiukhin that occurred during the podium ceremony for the OK category at Round 1 of the 2022 FIA Karting European Championship at the Kartódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal. The FIA will communicate shortly on the further steps that will be taken in this case.”

The team that Severiukhin was racing under – Ward Racing – also issued a statement, releasing him from the team: